The Latvian national hockey team will meet with the Italian national team in the first match of the 2022 Beijing Olympic Games qualifying tournament on Thursday at “Arena Riga”. In the third third, Latvia is in the lead 4: 0. The game can be seen live on LTV7 and replay.lv.
Jānis Jaks scored the goal for Latvia already in the 4th minute, but Rodrigo Ābols doubled the lead a few minutes later. Kristiāns Rubīns strengthened the lead with a third goal in the second third, while Miks Indrašis realized the numerical majority.
Jānis Jaks scores the first goal
Three and a half minutes were enough for the Latvian team to reveal the result. Andreas Bernards, an Italian goalkeeper covered by the blue line from the blue line, noticed only in the net.
Rodrigo Apple achieves 2: 0
The second goal was achieved by an excellent interplay of the attackers, which was closed by Ābols with a smooth and accurate shot from a close distance. Then, until the first break, there was a calmer game and the result was not changed by the opportunity for each team to play in a numerical majority from time to time.
Interview with Rodrigo Apple
Goal scorer Ābols said after the first third in an interview on Latvian Television that the team talked about the need to create goals before the game and managed to realize it. When the result became 2: 0, the Italians started to play even easier, while the Latvian national team must be activated in the attack and play as in the first five minutes, Ābols emphasized.
Christian Rubin throws the third goal
An excellent Ruby shot from a sharp angle gave Latvia a three-goal lead until the middle of the second period.
Miks Indrašis strengthens the lead with the fourth goal
Once again, Bernards capitulated, realizing a large numerical majority for the Latvian national team. In Indras’ throw, the puck found its way between Bernard’s bodyguards. In the second third, Latvian hockey players had a significant advantage of the game, which allowed them to feel safe about the course of the match.
Interview with Christian Ruby
Hockey game Italy – Latvia. Interview with Christian Rubin after the 2nd third1min
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The author of the third goal Rubīns said in an interview with Latvian Television during the break that the team started to throw more goals in the second third and this was reflected in the result. Rubin admitted that he dedicated his goal gain to Matiss Kivleniek, who was tragically killed in the USA in the summer, on the 25th birthday of the former national goalkeeper, which is on August 26.
Ivars Punnenovs proved his excellent skills in the Latvian goal, repeatedly forbidding the Italian players to reduce the difference in grateful situations in the third period.
For the first time in an official tournament game, Harijs Vītoliņš is leading the Latvian national team as the head coach. The Latvian national team from the stands is also assisted by the experienced coach Oļegs Znaroks, who has the opportunity to contact the management of the home team on the reserve bench.
Interview with Artis Ābols before the game
In the interview on Latvian Television before the match, the coach of the Latvian national team Artis Ābols expressed confidence that the team is well prepared and Teodors Bļugers and Kaspars Daugaviņš also joined the team, although both attackers did not participate in the test matches in the preparation stage.
Interview with Giorgio de Betin before the game
Before the match, the coach of the Italian national team Giorgio de Betins said in an interview on Latvian Television that the team under his supervision was facing a difficult game and loud stands that would support the opponents. De Bethin expressed hope that the Italians will play better than at the spring world championships in Riga. He believes that Italy should play simply and return all forces in the game against the Latvian national team, where all players have significant experience in high-level hockey.
The Latvian national team, strengthened with the players of the National Hockey League (NHL), will compete with Hungary on Friday, but will meet with France at the end of Sunday. The winners of the tournament will earn a ticket to Beijing in a group of four teams.
In the first game of the tournament on Thursday, the French national team beat Hungary 5: 3.
Participation in the Olympic tournament in terms of place is already guaranteed for Canada, the team of the Russian Olympic Committee, Finland, Sweden, the Czech Republic, the USA, Germany, Switzerland, as well as the hostess China. In qualifying tournaments, national teams from 12 countries will determine the winners of the last three tickets. In parallel with the tournament in Riga, there are also games in Bratislava, where Slovaks, Belarusians, Austrians and Poles meet, while in Oslo, Danes, South Koreans and Slovenes compete with their Norwegian hosts.
The Latvian national team has participated in four consecutive Winter Olympics – in 2002 in Salt Lake City, in 2006 in Turin, in 2010 in Vancouver and in 2014 in Sochi, but in Pyongyang in 2018 it did not stumble against the German state.
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